Northwestern College campus

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Northwestern College Ratings and Reviews

  • 5/10 Overall Rating
  • 4 Year
  • Orange City, IA
  • 4.0 2 reviews
#12 Best Private Colleges in Iowa
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Northwestern College Ratings and Reviews

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Ratings

Northwestern College is rated within the lower 47% of four-year colleges nationally and earns a CollegeSimply grade of 5 out of 10.

  • Overall Rating
    5 out of 10
  • Academics
    6 out of 10
  • Resources
    4 out of 10
  • Outcomes
    6 out of 10
  • Value
    4 out of 10
Learn how ratings are calculated

Student Review Summary

4.0

Approved reviews

2 student reviews

1 out of 2 (50%) reviewers rated 4 stars or higher

Students rate Professors / Faculty highest and Party and Bar Scene lowest.

Rating snapshot

  • 5 stars
    1
  • 4 stars
    0
  • 3 stars
    1
  • 2 stars
    0
  • 1 star
    0

Average by category

  • Overall Rating
    4.0
  • Academics
    4.5
  • Value for Money
    3.5
  • Professors / Faculty
    5.0
  • Campus Atmosphere
    5.0
  • Housing
    4.0
  • Campus Safety
    5.0
  • Student Life
    3.5
  • Party and Bar Scene
    1.5

Student and Parent Reviews

If you are a student, former student, faculty member or parent, please help guide other prospective students by sharing your personal experiences at this college. What is it really like to go to Northwestern College?

Apr 5, 2016
Rating 5 out of 5

Whether or not this is the right college for you depends on what it is you're looking for. If you're looking for small class sizes, professors who care about you as a person rather than a statistic, and an overall welcoming, Christian atmosphere, then this might be the place for you. Religiously, Northwestern is very Christian. Biblical Studies and an Intro to Theology course are required, as is chapel. But although the college is affiliated with the Reformed Church, all varieties of Christianity are welcomed, and I was able, as a practicing Catholic, to find my own place. Overall, I wouldn't trade my time at Northwestern for anything. Prospective students should be aware that Orange City is a small town. If you need a Wal-Mart and McDonalds within walking distance in order to survive and stores that are open on Sunday, you might want to look elsewhere. :)

Overall Rating
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Value for Money
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Jul 5, 2015
Rating 3 out of 5

In my time at Northwestern I really appreciated the academics and the campus atmosphere. I really, respected my professors and felt like they wanted the best for me. I was challenged and encouraged. The campus is very nice, and we had a great calendar of campus events. HOWEVER, I did not choose to finish my degree at NWC. (1) Northwestern is very Reformed, but I found that the values and faith they presented during visits weren't really there in daily campus life (talking more about chapel and classes than student lives). (2) The value goes down if you don't want to start your career in the area. Northwestern talks about how many area businesses like the hire their graduates. The problem is that they are relatively unknown outside the area, so if you want to go to another area, the college name on your expensive degree won't be much help.

Overall Rating
Academics
Value for Money
Professors / Faculty
Campus Atmosphere
Housing
Campus Safety
Dating and Social Life
Party and Bar Scene

Rate Northwestern College

Share your ratings for Northwestern College across academics, campus life, and more to help prospective students understand what it's really like to attend.

Your Overall Experience *

If a friend asked whether Northwestern College was worth it, what would your gut say?

Academics *

Did classes challenge you and leave you feeling like you actually learned something?

Value for Money *

Considering tuition, aid, and what you got out of it, did the cost feel justified?

Professors and Faculty *

Were instructors accessible, engaged, and invested in students or mostly going through the motions?

Campus Atmosphere *

Did the campus feel welcoming and full of energy, or more like a place you simply passed through?

Student Housing *

Were dorms and residence halls somewhere you'd want to live, or a constant source of frustration?

Campus Safety *

Did you feel comfortable walking around at night, or did safety ever weigh on your mind?

Student Life *

Was it easy to find your people, make friends, and stay socially connected?

Party and Bar Scene *

Do weekends have a pulse here, or does the social scene quiet down once classes end?

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Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=154101.

Last updated: August 2026